Use of Club Singles and Doubles

Club members with Club Sculling privileges* will have access to club singles and doubles (but not the racing doubles or quads, which require additional experience and certification) from approximately the 2nd week in June through the 2nd week in September. Exact dates are contingent on water temperature, flow, and boat storage capacity. Club boats will not be allowed out until the water temperature reaches 60°F. For more information check out the Sculling Safety Guidelines.

* based on payment of the Club Sculling Fee ($175 for the season for adults; $100 for juniors under 26), registration for a Sweep Program, Junior Sculling, Learn-to-Scull Program, 8 or more Coached Sculling Sessions, or payment for rack space.

JUNIORS - Please note the additional requirements for juniors under the age of 18 as set forth in the Junior Sculling Policy under the "Juniors" drop down menu.

Required experience

If you have never rowed, or are a beginning sweep rower, you will need to either sign up for a “Learn to Scull” clinic or become a UVRF member and take private sculling lessons with an instructor who will certify your ability to use the club boats.

Experienced sweep rowers who have never sculled before will need to take a one and a half hour “sweep to scull” clinic. These clinics are free to UVRF members!

Scullers who wish to take club boats out during hours when no dock monitor is present must pass the UVRF Captain’s test, which includes demonstrating basic sculling skills, as well as the ability to carry the boat, launch and land without assistance. Captain’s tests will be given after the “sweep to scull” clinics and on specified days during monitored hours.

UVRF owns a number of club boats, ranging from recreational singles to racing singles and doubles. Each UVRF member works with one of the sculling committee members to determine which level of equipment he or she is qualified to use. Questions or requests for a change of status should be directed to
.

Several "Learn to Scull" clinics have been scheduled for the summer. The "Sweep to Scull" clinics will be scheduled after the sculling dock opens in mid-June, and the dates and times will be posted here. Until then, please email
with any questions or concerns.

Hours of operation

Club boats may be taken out between the hours of 6:00 in the morning until 7:30 in the evening. These hours may be adjusted to reflect daylight conditions. All club boats must launch and return during daylight hours.

During the summer, dock monitors will be available Monday-Friday from 6am – 9am, and Saturday from 7am – 10am. We will have additional monitor hours staffed by volunteers most Mondays through Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. We strongly encourage club scullers to use the buddy system, especially during non-monitored hours.

Recreational singles, club doubles and racing Peinert singles may be reserved using the online"1x and 2x reservation" signout documenthere. Boats may be reserved up to one week in advance for up to one and one-half hours at a time. Please check the online reservation document BEFORE you take a boat out!! If a boat has been reserved, but it is more than 15 minutes past the reservation time, you are free to take out that reserved boat. The club reserves the right to limit the number of reservations per individual in order to ensure adequate access for all members. Please be considerate of your fellow scullers. Finally, in addition to reserving a boat,it is crucial that you sign in and out of the log book every time you row - this is so we know who is out and that you got back safely, and to monitor club boat usage to guide future boat purchasing decisions. The logbook is either in the plastic tub in the rack next to the quads, or is with the dock monitor.

Broken/Damaged Equipment

Bringing problems to our attention helps keep our sculling fleet in good order. Check the boat carefully before launching and after you return. If you find that something is missing, or malfunctioning, please note it in the repair log in the “Club Sculling”binder.

If you drop a boat, have an unexpected encounter with a tree, another boat, the sculling dock or other miscellaneous floating water hazard, notify the club as soon as possible. If a dock monitor is not present, leave a note on the club bulletin board and email
.

Describe the point of impact, and any visible damage. Even if you don’t see any obvious breakage, please report the accident so that we can check out the boat.

Requirements for all scullers (Captain's Test)

Remove the boat from the rack without damaging it or adjacent shells (either solo or with a partner)

Carry boat to the sculling dock

Put the boat in the water without hitting the skeg on the dock

Place oars in oar locks correctly

Get in to the boat

Launch from the dock

Row 100 strokes

Demonstrate ability to navigate and steer

Check the boat down without flipping

Turn boat around

Back the boat down

Land the boat

Remove oars and return boat to assigned rack facing in the correct direction

Describe the traffic pattern on the river including launching and landing pattern

Describe known water hazards

Describe unsafe weather conditions

Describe what to do if the boat flips

Describe rights of way and passing instructions

Describe how to handle powerboat wakes

Racing Singles

Scullers who wish to take out racing singles must demonstrate all of the boat skills listed above in a racing single. Scullers who are approved to row in recreational singles must be checked out in a racing single before moving in to a higher level boat.

Doubles and Quads

See the Sculling Certification Policy for the steps you need to take to qualify to use the club doubles, club racing doubles and quads.

Non-Monitored Hours

Scullers who wish to take boats out during unmonitored hours must pass the UVRF captain’s test which includes demonstrating the ability to carry their boats, launch and land without assistance.

Traffic Pattern

All boats should travel up stream on the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River, and down stream on the Vermont side. Boats must launch and land in the upstream direction. When turning around, scullers should take care to do so in a location where they can see and be seen by oncoming boat traffic.

Boat Traffic

The area between Ledyard Bridge and the point (approximately 1.5 miles up stream) can be congested during certain hours of the day. UVRF operates sweep programs between 6am and 7:30am. Dartmouth boats may be on the water during this or other times of the day. This section is also very popular with canoers and kayakers. Look frequently and exercise caution on this section of the water.